


stray cats and lazy afternoons

by mistyheartrbs



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: Cats, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Fluff, Lots and lots of cats, Post-Movie(s), catmilla
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-29
Updated: 2017-11-25
Packaged: 2019-01-26 02:22:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12546684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mistyheartrbs/pseuds/mistyheartrbs
Summary: Carmilla finds herself befriending a few small companions.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i'd say "spoilers for carmilla movie" but like. the whole premise of this fic is a spoiler. 
> 
> anyway the movie was amazing but it also made me very sad because carm finally had her human life and now it's gone and i really do hope she gets it back in the inevitable sequel or at least laura lives forever because these two deserve all the happiness in the world
> 
> so without further ado, here's some fluff

If there was one good thing - one good thing at all - about her recently returned vampire state, it was that Carmilla could turn into a cat again. 

This often led to the strays wandering the streets of Toronto to seek her out, curled up on the balcony in all her giant-panther glory as she sunned herself on a lawn chair. The little companions that came were not unwelcome in the slightest, not at all, but they did get a bit whiny on occasion. 

_When's the coffee-smelling lady coming back?_ Toby, a creatively named tabby, wondered. He always was the loudest one. 

_You mean my girlfriend?_ Even in the mewling language of cats, a hint of pride crept into Carmilla's voice as she swished her thin tail back and forth. _She has a name, you know._

 _Oh, hey, I know this one!_ Peaches the calico butted in, leaning in on Carmilla's flank. _Her name's Lorla, right?_ Carmilla let out a sniff. 

_No._

_Aw, she was close, though, wasn't she?_ Nutmeg meowed. She was the youngest of the regulars, Carmilla was pretty sure, probably only about six months old. 

_We give you free food. It'd be nice if you could give us a little bit of respect in return._

_Carmilla's right,_ Toby said, weaving his way around the table. He was getting dangerously close to knocking over Laura's favorite mug, and Carmilla beckoned him back. _She's good to us. Okay, let me try again._ Toby straightened his back, still only reaching about Carmilla's neck when drawn to his full height. _Lauren._

 _Still wrong._ Carmilla sniffed again, and Peaches stifled a laugh. 

_I think that one was even further from what her real name is,_ she chuckled. 

_Her name's Laura,_ Carmilla deadpanned, _-and I love her a lot._

 _We know,_ Nutmeg groaned. She really was like a little teenager, albeit in feline form. _You talk about her all the time._

_That's because-_

_Hello, Miss Carmilla?_ A fluffy white form padded up to the balcony, holding a dead bird in its mouth. Peaches flicked her ear irritably. 

_You know that you don't have to bring me things, right?_

_I know. It's the least I can do._

_It's the least I can do, _Peaches mocked. Carmilla tapped her with a paw the size of Nutmeg's head.__

____"But thank you, Snowy,_ " Carmilla added, with a not-so-subtle glare in Peaches's direction as she started to talk a bit louder. It was little-known that cats communicated in two ways, the first with motions and quiet noises and the second with strings of meows. Snowy curled up right on the railing, closing her big blue eyes and swishing her fluffy tail. She was only familiar with the second one. The distant sound of a door opening sounded through the apartment and made its way outside, and Carmilla sprang from the chair, turning less catlike by the second. The four strays peeked inside - it was an unspoken rule among them not to go into the apartment unless they were invited, but the saying always did imply that cats were curious. _ _ _

___"What's going on?_ " Nutmeg whispered. " _I can't see._ " _ _

__

___"Carmilla's standing at the door,_ " Toby whispered back. " _She's not big anymore. She's turned into one of the people._ " Indeed, she was no longer a panther, and she kissed the tiny human and smiled. " _I wonder if we can do that.__ " _

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___"She's five times our size, dummy,_ " Peaches retorted. " _I don't really think she's a cat at all._ "_ _

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___"She talks like one._ " _ _

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___"The people talk like us, too, or at least they try._ " _ _

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___"She looks like one, when she's not . . . like that._ " Toby stuck out a paw in the apartment's direction, where Carmilla was still talking with the tiny human. " _I think she's just a really smart cat.__ " _

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___"Whatever she is, her girlfriend always brings us the best food._ " Snowy stood at attention when the tiny human pointed at the quartet eagerly. _"I hope it's tuna today.__ " _

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___"It was tuna yesterday,_ " Nutmeg said. _ _

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___"That doesn't mean it can't be tuna today._ " _ _

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__***_ _

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__Inside, Laura cooed at the four cats pressed up against the open door as if stopped by an invisible barrier._ _

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__"They know that they can come in here, right?"_ _

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__"I guess they don't want to intrude."_ _

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__"What, can they not come in unless they're invited?" Laura chuckled, and Carmilla rolled her eyes. "I thought that one was a 'vampire myth, made up by some ridiculous old man trying too hard to think of unnecessary rules."'_ _

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__"It is. You didn't see me asking politely to come into your dorm, did you?"_ _

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__"And I'm glad you didn't." Laura pressed a kiss to her cheek before digging through a grocery bag. "The fluffy one likes tuna, right?"_ _

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__"You spoil them, you know that?" Carmilla took the can-opener off the counter, already starting to pry open the food. "They're getting too used to it."_ _

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__"I know, but look at them! They're adorable." As if on cue, Snowy tilted her head to the side and blinked her big blue eyes at Laura - or, more specifically, at the now-open can of tuna. "Who could resist that face? Cats are freakin' adorable."_ _

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___"Well,"_ Carmilla began, voice dropping to a gravelly purr, leaning closer, "-maybe after this, we could head back to our room and-" Nutmeg burst into the room without warning, sprinting as fast as her skinny legs could carry her. _ _

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__"Okay, okay!" Laura held her hands up in surrender. "I'll feed you guys."_ _

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__"You're ruining the mood," Carmilla whispered to Nutmeg, but she just stared back up blankly. The four cats all trained their attention on Laura, following her every move until she set down the tuna and then let them wind their way around her legs._ _

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__"Aw, Carm, look! They like me!" Laura's face seemed to light up, and Carmilla couldn't hold back a fond smile._ _

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__"Of course they do, cupcake." The cats kept purring, the sun went down over the balcony, and Carmilla thought that maybe there were just a few okay things about being a vampire again._ _

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______ _ _

__


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the people asked for more of this fic and so i delivered and so here it is, the adventures of catmilla 2: the electric boogaloo 
> 
> (this one's set before the first chapter, from laura's pov)

Among all the confusion and heartbreak and more confusion over Carmilla's seemingly permanent re-vamping after the visit to the Sheridan house, among the getting used to bottles of blood again and the smell of dead squirrels hanging around the apartment requiring a truly ridiculous amount of air freshener, Laura had forgotten about the giant black cat thing. 

That is, until she woke up with a very large, very furry, and very suffocating paw draped over her face. 

What with the time (one look at the two clocks resting on their shared nightstand would have told her that it was exactly four in the morning) and the sleep deprivation and the _enormous_ paw on her face, leading up to a slumbering, glossy-furred beast, it wasn't all that irrational of a reaction to punch the creature in the face. 

_"Br-aw-aw!"_ it yowled out in pain as soon as her fist connected, and not a second later it tumbled off the bed with another series of less-than-graceful mews. Laura shot up. Her mind was clearing, and she didn't like the realization it was coming to. 

"Oh! Jesus! Carm!" she yelped, clapping her hands over her mouth while the panther regained its bearings and then looked back up at her with wide yellow eyes. "I swear I didn't mean to- I just saw this _thing_ and I couldn't breathe and did I hurt you?" Carmilla clapped a paw over her eyes. Laura followed suit, still incredibly confused. 

"You can open your eyes now." It was a relief to hear Carmilla's voice again, seeing her drawn up to her full height, though Laura couldn't help but notice the cat hair surrounding her in a little ring on the floor. "I'm fine, by the way." Her voice softened. "Did I hurt _you?"_

"No, no, I just woke up and your paw was over my face and . . . I'm so sorry, Carm." 

"Don't worry about it." Carmilla sat on the edge of the bed, back hunched over and hands folded in her lap, a soldier just defeated in battle. "I should've been more careful." 

"Why didn't this ever happen back in college, you know, before . . ." Laura tapped her chest. _"Pa-thump, pa-thump, pa-thump."_ Neither of them had been awfully fond of using the h-word, after everything. 

"The same reason I bit you when it started again." Carmilla shifted uncomfortably in her spot, and in the dark Laura couldn't see her expression, but she could sense the tiredness from a mile away. "Control. I had . . . I had _three hundred years_ to get all of it under control, and now it's back to square one." She threw her head back and laughed bitterly. "It's like I'm a child again." 

"You'll be okay, right?" Laura gently wrapped her arms around Carmilla's waist, hugging her from behind. Carmilla slowly nodded. 

"It won't happen again," she said, and there was conviction in her voice. 

***

It did happen again, not two days later, when once again Laura found her fight-or-flight response activated by the shuddering snores of the panther and once again knocked her off of the bed. Like clockwork, Carmilla clapped a paw over her eyes, Laura looked away, and there was her girlfriend standing in front of her after about a minute, looking like nothing had happened at all. 

"You can certainly hold your own in battle, at least," Carmilla muttered, cracking her back and settling back onto the bed. Then, softer, "I'm really that terrifying?" 

"What?! No! No, no, of course not!" Laura was a bit insulted by the _idea_ of it - terrified of Carmilla? _Her?_ It was ridiculous. "It's just, you know, reflexes. Instincts." 

"From when you nearly died." 

"Actually, I _did_ die," Laura retorted smugly. 

"Worst five minutes of my life." Carmilla kneaded at the bedsheets, her hand curling and uncurling around the same clump of fabric. Laura remembered when the two of them had picked out those very same bedsheets - they were covered in little cartoon pastries, smiling creampuffs and laughing cupcakes, and she'd all but _insisted_ on buying them. Now, they were wrinkled nearly beyond recognition, but Laura still loved them. 

"I'm still here now, aren't I?" 

"Yeah." Carmilla pressed her head into Laura's shoulder, taking a deep, shuddering breath. "I don't want to hurt you." 

"And you're not going to! I mean . . ." She stood up, beginning to pace around the spongey carpet. The neighbors would give her hell for it in the morning, but she couldn't find it in her to care. "You said something about control, right? So you get better at it. You practice . . . catting it up or whatever, and things turn out okay. We could start going at it now." 

"You're going to have to close your eyes." 

"What's with that? You did it twice before. Are you embarrassed or something?" Laura stifled a laugh. "I've seen you naked, Carm. There's not much that could surprise me." 

"It's not exactly a cutesy magical girl transformation, cupcake," Carmilla chuckled. "I don't get a little perky pair of ears and a tail and then have everything go smoothly from there. There's lots of organs shifting and limbs popping." 

"Okay, okay, turning away now. Got it." Laura clapped a hand over her eyes, just as she'd done both times before, and soon enough a big paw patted her knee. The panther perched below her, regal as ever. "Was . . . was that easier?" Carmilla nodded. "I'm glad." 

The creature crawled in beside her and curled up, and Laura wrapped herself tightly in the blankets and tried to let sleep overtake her. 

"I'm really glad." 

***

Weeks passed, uneventful for the most part, and it wasn't like the Panther Debacle (as Laura had, much to Carmilla's disdain, taken to calling it) caused too much trouble aside from the occasional sleep-deprivation-induced scrambling out of bed and taking the cat with her. Short of tattooing _CARMILLA IS SOMETIMES A MASSIVE HELL PANTHER AND THAT'S OKAY_ on the inside of her eyelids, it didn't seem like there was much that could be done about it anyway. 

"Hey, Carm?" she said one sleepy afternoon, clicking off the bad horror movie that had been playing on loop for the past day or so. _Those channels_ really _need to start mixing up their stuff,_ she thought. Carmilla sat up.

"Hmm?" 

"If we . . . if we ever had kids - in an imaginary scenario, obviously! In this completely made-up scenario, would they be like you?" Laura chuckled at the thought. "A bunch of little kittens running around. That'd be adorable." 

"Well, there's no real way to know - it's not as if I'm well-versed in vampire families, since most of the ones I knew never got attached to humans - but I doubt it." Carmilla stretched her arms, letting her bones crackle a bit. "It's not something you're born with. If you lose an eye, your kid would probably still be born with two working ones." Carmilla folded her legs close to her chest, and Laura leaned into her. "Our imaginary babies would be just as human as you." 

"Oh." Laura paused. "So, no kittens then?" 

***

It was a Saturday when Laura came home to see Carmilla, not sitting at the kitchen counter with a bottle of blood in her hand, nor lounging on the couch with an old book, but instead as a furry lump on the balcony, curled up under the sun with her eyes closed and her chest rising and falling peacefully. Quietly, so as not to disturb her, Laura slid open the door and sat down next to her, wincing at the glare of the sun. _I guess it doesn't bother her underneath all that fluff,_ she mused. The beach chair creaked, looking like it was just about to snap. 

_"Mrow?"_ It was the first time in a long while she'd heard the panther make any kind of noise, and as she opened one amber eye Laura saw a fondness she'd never seen any cat give before - not a fondness she'd see again, either, when this particular cat's gaze was that of her girlfriend of five years, and any apprehension seemed to fade away. 

"Hey, Carm," Laura murmured. Carmilla headbutted her warmly, and Laura planted a kiss on her forehead. 

They both just sat there for a while longer, watching the sun go down. 

***

Laura woke up that same night to a familiar rumbling, and she tensed in preparation for what she'd see next, but lying by her side was not the panther at all but simply Carmilla, most certainly not a cat at the moment, with her arm draped lazily across Laura's torso and her body twitching every few seconds and she was _purring._ Carmilla, three-hundred-year-old ex-ex-vampire and a woman who'd just about saved the world, formidable as anything, was _purring._ Laura's face stretched into a devious grin. 

Oh, she was _so_ going to hold this over her head the next morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love these idiots so much

**Author's Note:**

> i went to a cat cafe yesterday and it was great
> 
> (also the shift in the indication of the cats' speech was due to a formatting error, hooray for making up in-story excuses)


End file.
